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b"sdYes;it's definitely true, life has its ups and downs.Those we undertsand and those we don't.Those parts we can work on and those that are out of our hands.What's important is to keep on. Not to let the lows bring us lower;rather to always try and go higher from where ever we currently are.Have a good one; h

Tavor, Adama, Gir (Limestone), Sauvignon Blanc 2012: Another great unoaked white wine from the 2012 vintage and from Tavor winery as well! I'm starting to believe that 2012 was an exceptional vintage for the Israeli unoaked whites and it might be the case for the reds as well, at least based on my few experiences so far with the wines that I've barrel-tasted and made by Lewis Pasco (his own wines as well as the wines he helped making at Hillel Manne's Bet El winery).Very pale straw, almost as clear and bright as water with on the nose typical and refreshing notes of yellow citrus fruit such as lime and citron along hints of freshly cut grass. Light to medium in body with on the palate lime, yellow grapefruit, fresh grass, parsil herbaceousness, rocky minerals and some pleasant salinity with beautifully bracing acid giving it a very good kick as well as a delicious limy bitterness that lingers on the moderately long finish. Yum, bravo!

Eden, Wild Red 2008: Somehow, after the lovely experienced that I had on Yom Haatzmaut I went out of my way to look up more bottles of this wine and so, my efforts paid off! I got 5 bottles and couldn't resist to open one for shabbat. Once again the red pears were there and I noticed how sweet this wine actually is though it's more sweet fleshy dates and not raisins, thus many people probably wouldn't like it as much as I do. Anyway, a special that I love and I'm happy to have now another 4 bottles sitting in the cellar for further occasions.

Shabbat luch:

GHW, Yarden, Yonathan Vineyard, Syrah 2007: I though it was my turn here to check this wine out and see how it is doing at this stage. Well, Jon Tabak was spot on! This wine is still quite youthful and will probably hang around a few more years however it is VERY sweet and it will most certainly get even sweeter as it ages. Very dark purple, almost black with on the nose sweet plums and blackberries as well as smoke and sweet, toasted cedar wood. Full-bodied with on the palate super ripe sweet blackberries and plums, along mediterranean spices such as cinnamon and vanilla with some loamy dirt, sweet cherry liquor (think Heering), dates, leather and sweet dark chocolate with integrating tannins lingering on a very loooong finish. Very sweet, lots of alcohol (15,5% Abv!). I liked it but not loved it (as opposed to almost everybody else at the table that were blown away).

Teperber, Silver, Late Harvest Riesling 2010: As always, a nice and solid though simple dessert wine.

I will be travelling to the USA over the next coming 4 weeks (4/24 - 5/19) and will be spending quite some time in NYC and California (mostly in LA) as well as one day in Chicago. If anyone would like to catch up over some good wine please PM me.

Sam - you really think the 2009 Yarden Syrah is drink now? WOW! In Israel a few months ago that wine was nice and drinkable - but not going anywhere in the next two or three years. Though, I will agree that it is not a wine for cellaring.

Asif Classique 2009 - This wine is a blend consisting of 69% Semillion and 31% Sauvignon Blanc. The Semillion is coming into its own, shaping this wine into one that is round, devoid of sharp angular edges, featuring pleasant notes of apples and pears. In the background, the contributions of the Sauvignon Blanc are clearly felt, displaying notes of citrus and cut grass. Overall, this wine has progressed nicely from the previous time I had did, though I still don't sense much complexity, which might yet be forthcoming. 13.5% AbV. B-/**/Y

Hagafen Prix Pinot Noir Fagan Creek Block 38 2005 - The wine shows an abundance of cherry cola flavors on a thin bed of oak. It never quite developed the complexity to justify its reserve classification, nor does it hint at the potential of a Pinot Noir. Regretfully, I've stocked up on Hagafen's reserve Pinot Noir, and I must now work my way through my stash. This is not bad wine, but the pleasure diminishes as it becomes monotonous. C+/*/N

Friday night I put a bottle of my 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon on the kitchen counter for opening during the meal, but then I was forced to replace it with a mevushal wine that I had. I was initially going to go with a Cantina Gabrielle red Dolcemente, which is a family favourite, but decided to go with an Argentinean Tempranillo that I had picked up at the liquor store earlier in the week...big mistake.

2011 Emuna Tempranillo, Argentina. Mevushal. This wine had absolutely no taste, just alcohol. Very unpleasant mouthfeel. It lacked acidity, which made it difficult to give it a second chance with another sip. The bottle had the symbols for 4 different certifying agencies, so the only good thing I can say about this bottle was that it was definitely kosher!

Last night I opened up the BBQ season in Ottawa with the bottle of my 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon that I had originally put out for Friday night. It went nicely with the burgers we had, which surprised me. Its still a bit tannic, but has lots of fruit and well balanced acidity.

Asif Classique 2009 - This wine is a blend consisting of 69% Semillion and 31% Sauvignon Blanc. The Semillion is coming into its own, shaping this wine into one that is round, devoid of sharp angular edges, featuring pleasant notes of apples and pears. In the background, the contributions of the Sauvignon Blanc are clearly felt, displaying notes of citrus and cut grass. Overall, this wine has progressed nicely from the previous time I had did, though I still don't sense much complexity, which might yet be forthcoming. 13.5% AbV. B-/**/Y

Hagafen Prix Pinot Noir Fagan Creek Block 38 2005 - The wine shows an abundance of cherry cola flavors on a thin bed of oak. It never quite developed the complexity to justify its reserve classification, nor does it hint at the potential of a Pinot Noir. Regretfully, I've stocked up on Hagafen's reserve Pinot Noir, and I must now work my way through my stash. This is not bad wine, but the pleasure diminishes as it becomes monotonous. C+/*/N

The Lavan was delicious as usual. The Landsman Pinot showed well once again and was the best received wine of the night. It is a delight to partake of a good kosher California Pinot as there seem to be so few and my guests were wowed.The Zinfandel was a real bruiser on this night with firm almost searing taninsand not as jammy as I remember with a nice layered red/black fruit/spice profile. It could not have been more different than the Pinot and perhaps this was not the night to open this but it is my kind of wine.

Jonathan K wrote:Alas, I have been hoping for the Prix Pinots to come around and this is not an encouraging tasting note. I will open one soon and let you know my take. To this point I have been disappointed.

Jonathan,

I'd love to get your take on these Pinots. So far I haven't had kosher Pinot that improves with age, and that applies to the Four Gates Pinot, as well. I'm not a member of the Landsman club, so I didn't have theirs. I'm still going to give the AlexEli another shot.

Gabriel Geller wrote:Ok. Here I disagree with both of you Dave & Sam. IMHO the 09 Yarden Syrah still a young child and will cellar well for quite a few years, 2017-18 perhaps longer.

Best,

GG

David Raccah wrote:Sam - you really think the 2009 Yarden Syrah is drink now? WOW! In Israel a few months ago that wine was nice and drinkable - but not going anywhere in the next two or three years. Though, I will agree that it is not a wine for cellaring.

The wine was ok but was so ripe and the acids and tannins fading. I wouldn't trust it for long. It could have been the bottle. I have never had it before. I had the 09 merlot and absolutely loved it.

Enjoyed a weekend in Paris.Fri night/Saturday lunch - purchased some wines from a kosher grocer in the 17th arrondisement, two unfamiliar Bordeaux in the 10-12 euro range. One was from Graves and the other from Saint-Estephe and both were very food friendly. I obviously forgot the names.On Sunday night enjoyed a delicious fish dinner at Kavod off the Champs Elysee', together with a half-bottle of Chateau De Mole 2010 Bordeaux. Great wine, and at 14%abv a little heftier than the other two wines I had tried.

Celebrating my 30th birthday, I opened a Hagafen Prix Cabernet MJT 2005 with Sous Vide RIbs and a 2.5 lb Sous Vide Ribeye. The wine was exquisite, full bodied, tons of dark fruit, concentrated, a really great wine. It was delicious right away and continued to improve while drinking.

This Shabbos we gave kiddush to celebrate the birth of our daughter on February 18, so on Friday night I opened a Galil Mountain Pinot Noir. Shabbos morning, on the other hand, was a VERY different story. We had quite a few options for people. There was a 1974 Springbank bottled by Dun Bheagan at 31 years old. Man, I love Springbank. I opened a bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue Label, but not much of that was consumed. I opened an 18 year old Van Winkle Reserve bourbon that was bottled for Park Avenue Liquors (bought this one about 10 years ago) - even some of the scotch drinkers went nuts over this one. There was a Glenlivet Nadurra from the very first releases - that went down fast. I opened a 17 year old Mortlach that I received as a gift for Purim - what an underrated example of excellence. There was a bottle of George T.Stagg - the 140 proof release. There was Pyrat XO rum, Maker's Mark, Redemption Rye, Auchentoshan 3 wood, Johnny Drum Reserve, Johnnie Walker Black Label, Trader Joe's Vintage Ale, Twisted Tea, Angry Orchard Crisp Apple cider, and another bottle of Pinot Noir. I think that is everything. I was busy greeting friends and pouring, so I did not get very inebriated, although a couple of friends left rather happy. I was a little surprised and very gratified at how well the Van Winkle went over - I don't often get scotch drinkers fawning over a bourbon.